Luke Fortner earns SEC Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week honors

Kentucky Wildcats senior center Luke Fortner has earned SEC Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week honors, the league announced Tuesday. Fortner shared the honor with Texas A&M offensive tackle Kenyon Green.

Fortner, a four-year letter winner and sixth-year senior from Sylvania (OH), received his first career weekly honor after moving from guard to center this season and making his first start there against Louisiana Monroe. He’s played in 43 career games with 24 starts, mostly at guard.

A 6-foot-6, 297-pounder, Fortner recorded four knockdown blocks, eight blocks at the point of attack, and did not allow a sack in the 45-10 win over the Warhawks. He helped Kentucky rack up 564 yards of total offense, which featured a 300-yard passer, two 100-yard receivers and a 100-yard rusher in the same game for the first time since 2006.

Off the field, Fortner graduated in December of 2019 with a degree in mechanical engineering and just finished his master’s degree requirements in mechanical engineering with plans to graduate in December. On top of that, Fortner began working on a master’s degree in business administration in June at UK’s Gatton College of Business and Economics. He is on track to graduate with his MBA in May of 2022. He was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team, earned preseason third-team All-SEC honors by the league’s media and Athlon Sports, and his on the watch list for the William V. Campbell Trophy, given to the college football player with the best combination of academics, community service, and on-field performance.